Lenkoran authorities have arrested a man following his interview to opposition newspaper, Bizim Yol. Shahin Agayev, resident of Lankaran city, who on January 14 told the Bizim Yol newspaper that his daughter had been beaten up by one of her teachers, was arrested on February 6.The fact of arrest was confirmed by Agayev’s brother, Azad Agayev during a brief phone call with IRFS research and monitoring team on February 22.
Azad says his brother was arrested because of his interview.
“Masked men who arrested my brother searched his house, but did not find anything. We later found out that they took Shahin to the southern regional branch of the State Commission on Fight against Drugs, and he is currently held in Baku Investigative Prison” said Agayev.
IRFS tried to reach the Press Service of the Interior Ministry to get comments, but no one answered the phone.
Last week Interior Ministry employee Orkhan Mansurzadeh told Bizim Yol newspaper that Shahin Agayev was arrested while selling 7.6 grams of marihuana, and a criminal case was launched against him under Article 234.2 of the Criminal Code. Mansurzadeh added that Shahin’s customer would also be brought to justice. Citing his colleagues from Lankaran city, Mansurzadeh denied the claims that Shahin was arrested for his outspokenness.